Door lifting mechanism



Oct. 16, 1945.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 wmmmm bvvvwnn vvmmm f/IIAIl/IIIJIFd T. MADLAND DOOR LIFTING MECHANISM Fi led March 15, 1945 Patented Oct. 16, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FF'I CE DOOR LIFTING MECHANlSM Thorvald'M'ad-landi Chicago, Ill-., assignor to The Youngstown Steek Door Company, Cleveland,

Ohio. a corporation'of Ohio Application March 13, 1943, Serial No; 479.065

fllaims. (Cl'. 16.-99-)1 This invention relates to door lifting. mechanisms and is directed primarily to lift mechae nisms for sliding railway house car doors.

It is an object of this invention to materially reduce the cost of doorliftin mechanism by the elimination or substantial. reduction ofcastings, machining operations, and the reduction. of the number of difierent partsrequi'red to be stocked by the railroads. Y

It is a further object of thisinventionto. pro.- vide door lifting mechanisms as characterized above which shall be applicableto ali railway house cars and operable by movement of alever in either direction in a plane parallel'to the doors.

A further object is .to provide door...liftin mechanisms, as. described above. which shallrequire less force to lift: the doors than is required by lifting mechanisms now utilized.

'Other objects of the. invention will become. clear as the description thereof proceeds.

In the drawings forming part oithis specification: g

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a sliding door for railway house cars to which a lift mech anism embodying the instant invention is applied.

Fig. 2 "is a vertical section taken online 2-4 of Fi 1. g

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section. taken .on line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken online 4@ of Fig. l. v V

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on line 55 of Fig. 1. V w

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken .on line 6 6 of Fig. 1. p

The instant invention is embodied inn ,liit, mechanism shown applied to a slidingdoorl il for railway house cars. TheHdoor-Hl comprises a metallic panel I l formed with a'plurality of horizontal corrugations [2 which merge at .their ends into upwardly and outwardlyoffsetportions I 3. and I4. The metallic panel ll at each vertical margin thereof terminates in .fianges liand [6 which are .parallel to the main plane of' the panel. The front vertical margin ofthe panel is reinforced by means of a backing plate I! riveted thereto and by means of a reinforcing member l8 secured to the flange l5 and-to the hacking plate H, as more clearly shown inFig. 1 ofithe drawings. The rear vertical margin ofithe panel is reinforced by means of a backing plate 19 fastened thereto and. by means of a reinforcing memberZll secured to the'flange 16 of the panel and to the. backing plate. as. more clearly shown in. Fig. 1 of. the drawings.

The structureof. the door lil, as. described hares. inabove, is. shown. in greater detail in. the pat.-. ent to Ditchfield. 1,895,151. to which. reference is made.

At its lower portion the panel ll flanged. outwardly, as indicated at 2.1... and then downwardly to provide av flange 22. which. as more clearly shown in Fig. 2 of. the drawings, is offs t t ward'ly relative to the. main plane or the. door.

' A. backing plate Ziextending substantia ly the full width. of the. door is. secured to the panel the main plane thereo'i above. flange 21, a by means or rivets 2.4.. I

The backing. plate 2.3 andthe. structure. or the door panel described immediately above. provide. space for the ap lication. oi the lift fixture .ern bodying the instant invention. The liitflxture C prises a Z- haped. member 5. disp.osedl..so. t t h web 26 is horizontal- The ange .21. extends upwardly therefrom substan ially-in the. plane of thepanel flange 2'2 and the flange. 23 exs tends downwardly therefrom substantially in the plane ofthe. backin ate, 23. When. applied-to the door the flange .21. is secured. as Joy-means or rivets, to the panelflange Y22 and the flange 28.. is secured, as b means of, rivets. to the, backing plate 23 so as to constitute in.,as oia ion with. these members a box section.

The upstanding flange 21 of the l-shapdd member 25 carries spaced bearing members 29 and 30. The bearing member 29,, which is preterably formed from .a plate, is. Provided. with a flange 3i secured to the upstanding flange 21,.as by means oi rivets 32 and 33. The bearing mem ber 29 is flanged inwardly, as indicated. at-34.,, and terminates in a flange 35 which liessubstantially in the plane of the backing plate 23.. 'Ihounstanding flange 2'! of the Z-shapedmember 25. and flange 35 of the bearing member 29. are formed with alinedopeningssfi andv "3. which function as bearings for the ends Wof, a pin .38 that journals a roller housing 39, ashereinaifterv explained.

Bearing member 30 is similar inv construction to bearing memberlil. Bearing member 3!] is provided with a flange 40 secured to the upstande ing flange 21, as by means of rivets 4i and .42.... Bearing member 30 isflanged inwardl asindicated at 43, and terminates in a flange.. l4; lying substantially in the plane of. the baolgingplate 23. Alined openings are formed in theupstanm ing flange 21 and flange'd i. oi the he r ngmore ber"30,these openings serving as bearings for the ends of a pin 45 which journals a roller housing 46, as hereinafter explained.

Roller housing 39 is substantially channel shaped in section and embodies a web 41' and spaced inner and outer walls 48 and 49. The web 41, as more clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, terminates below the top of the walls 48 and 49. Above the web the walls 48 and 45 are displaced ltoward each otherijfor' a reason which will -hereinafter appear.= The housing member 38 carries a roller 56 which is mounted upon a pin 5! supported in the walls 48 and 46 of the housing. The pin 38, which. journals the roller housing 39 in the upstanding flange 21 and flange 35 of the bearing member extends through the walls 48 and 49 of the roller housing beyond the periphery of the roller 58 and, by reason of the instant invention, may be formed of a length of cold rolled steel.

The roller housing 46 is similar in construction to the roller. housing 39 so that the detailed description of the latter willsuflice for the former. The pin 45, which journals roller housing .46 in the upstanding flange 21 and flange 44 of the bearing member 46, isisimilar to the pin 38. Roller housing 46 carries a roller 52 which is mounted upon the pin 53 carried by the walls of theroller housing.

Bearingplates 54 and 55 are carried by the Z-shaped member intermediate the roller which is spaced inwardly sufiiciently to permit journalling of an actuating member 64 in alined openings'65 and 66 formed, respectively, in the bearing plates 54 and 55. V

The actuating member 64, which isbest illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings, comprises a body into a lifting force upon the door by means of connecting bars 16 and T1. The bar 16 is disposed between and pivotally fastened to the pair of ears 10-40, as by means of a pin 16. The connecting bar 76 slopes upwardly from its securement to the actuating member and is disposed between the walls of the roller housing 39. Securement of the connecting bar to these walls is obtains by means of a pin 19.

The connecting bar ll similarly has one end disposed between the pair of cars I l-1l to which it' is pivotally fastened, as by means of a pin 86. The connecting bar 11 slopes upwardly similarly to the connecting bar 16 from its securement to the actuating member to the roller housing 46 and is pivotally fastened to the walls of the latter roller housing, as by means of a pin 8|.

It will be apparent from this construction that the operating lever may be moved in either direction and that in such movement a pull will always be exerted upon the connecting bars I6 and 1'1. This pull is transmitted to the roller house ings 39 and 46 which, accordingly, fulcrum about the rollers 50 and 52 and impart a lifting force to the door through the pins 38 and 42. Uniformity of application of the lifting force to the door is provided by insuring that the centers of the pins which fasten the connecting bars to the ears of the actuating member and to the roller housings lie on the same line as the center of the trunnions 68 and 69. The lifting mechanism hereinabove described lends itself to construction as a unit and application as such to a door. .By reason of the fact that the bearing members 36 and 3| are secured to the upstanding flange 21 of the Z-shaped member 25, and by reason'of the further fact that the roller housings are carried by the pins 38 and which are supported in the portion 61 formed with oppositely extending outer and inner trunnions 68 and 69 which are journalled in the openings 65 and 66 of the bearing plates 54 and 55. The actuating member 64 is formed with pair of oppositely extending ears 1616 and IL-H to which connecting bars are adapted to be pivotally fastened, as hereinafter described. The outer trunnion 68 of the actuating member 64 extends through the inwardly oilsetportion 66 of panel flange 22 so that a lever I2 can be mounted upon the trunnion 68 for the purpose of imparting movement to the actuating member. As more particularly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the lower portion of the lever is disposed within the space provided by the inwardly offset portion 60 so that the projection of the lever beyond the outer plane of the door is reduced. The leve 12 is guided and retained upon the door by means of a plate member 13 fastened to the inner face of the lever and the depending flange 14 of a substantially Z-shaped quadrant I5 fastened to the outer face of the panel H. The lever 12, as more clearly shown in Fig. l of ,the drawingsis disposed vertically so that liftingforce may be applied to the door upon movement of the lever in its plane in either direc: tion. This movement of thelever is translated 22 at the door.

bearing members and in the upstandin flange 21, it is apparent that the bearing members and roller housings can be assembled with the Z- shaped member 25 prior to its application to the door. Similarly, by reason of the hereinabove described construction the bearing plates 54 and 55, the actuating member 64 and the connecting bars 16 and I7 can'be assembled with the upstanding flange 2'! of the Z-shaped member 25 prior to the securement of the Z-shaped member to the door. Accuracy of assembly of the lifting mechanism and expeditious application thereofto the door are thereby insured.

- The lifting mechanism is applied to the door by securement, as by means of rivets, of the upstanding flange 2'! to the outwardly ofiset flange The backing plate 23 is then riveted to the panel by means of the rivets 24 and to the depending flange 26 of the Z-shaped membe 25, as more clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The operating lever is then mounted upon the outer trunnions 68 of the actuating member and related to the quadrant 15 in the manner shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. This assembly completes the box section at the bottom edge of the door and makes the web 26 of the Z-shaped member 25 available as a frictional supporting means for the door when it is in its lowered position. In this position the web 26 frictionally engages a flange 82 of a substantially channel-shaped track 83. This track is supported by means of a plurality of track brackets 84 secured to the lower flange 85 of the track and to a member 86 which serves to reinforce theside sill 81 of the car. 'i

It will be apparent from the foregoing de scription of the instant invention that the enu-' merated objects thereof are achieved by the illustrated structure. Expensive castings are replaced by simple and inexpensive pressings. Cold rolled steel pins are made available for use as trunnions for the roller housings in place of cast housings heretofore deemed necessary. This fact introduces a further economy in that it elimnates the machining operation required Where cast trunnions are employed. Additional savings through the elimination of machining operations are efiected by the utilization of pressed plate members for the roller housings. Cast roller housings used at the present time require that bosses be formed on them wherever openings are provided and these bosses must in each instance be machined to provide smooth surfaces. The structure of the operating mechanism and its association with the roller housings not only insure uniform lift of the 0100!" but actually permit a reduction in the force required to lift the door despite the fact that the pins which journal the roller housings to the door are disposed at a greater distance from the center of the rollers than in the present lift mechanisms. Moreover, the described mechanism permits a substantial reduction in the distance between lift mechanisms on opposite sides of acar so that it can be applied to doors of all railway house cars irrespective of the width of such cars. This fact permits a reduction in the number of parts of different mechanisms which the railroads must keep in stock.

It will be apparent that numerous changes and modifications in the details of the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art. It is intended, therefore, that all such modifications and changes be comprehended within this invention, which is to be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. Lifting mechanism for a slidingdoor embodying a panel comprising spaced roller housings, a roller carried by each of said roller housings, a pin carried by and extending through each of said roller housings beyond the periphcry of said rollers, said pins being oppositely disposed relative to said rollers, the ends of said pin being adapted to be journalled in said door, said roller housings, rollers and pins lying inwardly of said panel, an actuating member adapted to be journalled in said door inwardly of said panel between said roller housings for rotation in either direction, said actuating member having horizontally extending ears, a vertical lever mounted on said actuating member on the outside of said door, bars disposed inwardly of said panel and pivotally connected to said ears and said roller housings above said rollers, said lever being operable to rotate said actuating member in either direction to exert a pull only upon said bars and a lifting force upon said door.

2. Lifting mechanism for a slidin door embodying a panel comprising spaced pressed channel-shaped roller housings, a roller carried by each of said roller housings, a pin carried by and extending through each of said roller housings beyond the periphery of said rollers, said pins being oppositely disposed relative to said rollers, the ends of said pin being adapted to be journalled in said door, said roller housings, rollers and pins lying inwardly of said panel, an actuating member adapated to be journalled in said door inwardly of said panel between said roller housings for rotation in either direction, said actuating member having horizontally extending ears a vertical lever mounted on said actuating member on the outside of said door, bars disposed inwardly of said panel and pivotally connected to said ears and said roller housings above said rollers, said lever being operable to rotate said actuating member in either direction to exert a pull only upon said bars and a lifting force upon said door.

3. Lifting mechanism for a sliding door embodying a panelcomprising a pressed channelshaped roller housing, a roller carried by said roller housing, a pin carried by and extending through said roller housing beyond the periphery of said roller, the ends of said pin being adapted to be journalled in said door, said roller housing, roller and pin lying inwardly of said panel, an actuating member adapted to be journalled in said door inwardly of said panel for rotation in either direction, said actuating memher having a horizontally extending ear, a vertical lever mounted on said actuating member on the outside of said door, a connecting bar disposed inwardly of said panel and pivotally secured to said ear and said roller housing above said roller, said lever being operable to rotate said actuatin member in either direction to exert a pull only upon said connecting bar and a lifting force upon said door.

THORVALD MADLAND.. 

